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East London – The Eastern Cape Co-operative Governance and
Traditional Affairs Department (Cogta) has committed to lead the charge to
minimise initiate deaths in the Chris Hani District Municipality.

Cogta said it would be establishing rescue centres because
of the rising number of initiate deaths in the area.

In a statement, Cogta said the centres will be earmarked for
hot spot areas in Lukhanji, Tsolwana and Inxuba Yethemba local municipalities.

The decision was taken on Wednesday in a meeting held at
Thobikula Indoor Sport Centre in Lukhanji Local Municipality.

It was convened after the chairperson of the Eastern Cape of
Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima called for an
immediate intervention.

The meeting was attended by Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo
Masualle, Mayor of Chris Hani District Municipality Councillor Mxolisi Koyo and
Head of Department for Health Dr Thobile Mbengashe.

“We will enlist the support of the South African Police
Services to work with our monitoring teams to remove the initiates from the
schools to the rescue centres.

“The intervention will be done after consultation with key
stakeholders including traditional leaders in the affected areas. Dehydration
appears to be the main cause of deaths and doctors will be available in the
rescue centres in partnership with the Community Development Foundation of
South Africa,” said Matanzima.

He said the department will also solicit support from other
sector departments to acquire tents and the provision of water to the rescue
centres.

Matanzima added that monitoring plans are yielding “good
results” in the OR Tambo District Municipality and those would be “replicated
to other areas to save lives”.

In some cases there was a lack of parental support,
resulting in complications and deaths.

“We need leadership visibility at all levels for the sake of
our children,” he said

Thus far 21 initiates have died in the province with 11
deaths in Chris Hani, four at OR Tambo, two at Alfred Nzo, three in Joe Gqabi
and one in Amathole.

Cogta said the monitoring teams have visited 301 initiation
schools and saw 5094 initiates. Of this number 374 were illegal initiates and
58 were sent to traditional initiation centres to finish the process of the
ritual. Others were sent to hospitals for immediate medical attention and later
released to the care of their families.

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